Abstract

The study provides a detailed ultrastructural description of the cephalic tentacles of two gastropods inhabiting freshwater and land namely, Lanistes carinatus and Eobania vermiculata, respectively. The tentacles of the two investigated species exhibit the characteristic features of gastropod tentacles. Modified thickening of the microvillar borders are present in some ending ampular cells. The investigated tentacles were compared with those of other gastropods that unfortunately focused on only a few model snails. These snails may not be entirely representative of gastropods as a whole. In general, no clear correlation of development mode was found. The tentacles as a whole, as well as its cellular components can clearly be homologous with such structures in other gastropods.

Key words: Cephalic tentacles, Eobania vermiculata, Freshwater snail, Gastropod, ultrastructures, Land snail, Lanestis carinats